


It's Cold Outside

by sinnamon_nerd



Series: Under the Same Galarian Sky [4]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Bede oversleeps and then dissociates, F/M, Introspection, Slight Hurt/Comfort, it's not even fluff, they just have a moment together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:55:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28425108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinnamon_nerd/pseuds/sinnamon_nerd
Summary: In which Gloria takes it upon herself to check-up on Bede after he spends over two weeks not interacting with anyone.
Relationships: Beet | Bede/Yuuri | Gloria
Series: Under the Same Galarian Sky [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862944
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	It's Cold Outside

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Secret Santa fic for my discord friend icelilie! Sorry it's late, but Merry Christmas still! I hope you like it <3

When Bede woke up, he quickly realized that he was home alone. He squinted at the note that Opal had left underneath the dining table centerpiece, still groggy from having overslept. Based on what was written, he gleaned that the old crone wouldn’t be back until very late in the evening. Bede wasn’t quite sure how someone so old still had engagements that would keep her out so long, but then again he wasn’t exactly sure on anything about Opal anyway.

Pocketing the note, Bede went on to making his - admittedly, very late - breakfast.

It was only after sitting down on the armchair by the living room window with the curtains closed that his thoughts drifted back to Opal. He had settled himself down with his hands in the pockets of his pink coat and his nose burrowed into its raised collar, his eyes focusing on the steam rising from the cup of tea that he had mindlessly brewed moments prior.

Bede did not know what compelled him to make the drink, so he dismissed it as the influence of Opal’s premature ghost.

Contrary to popular belief, he  _ was not _ fond of leaf water. At least, that was what he thought. The activity around it had always felt suffocating to him while he was still under Rose’s hold. Everytime, a certain stiffness took over him as he felt the need to impress the man with even his tea time etiquette.

Sometimes, even with the Chairman out of his life, Bede could still feel his scrutinizing gaze on him.

On the other hand, having tea with Opal felt completely different. Perhaps it was because she told him that his “unnaturally calculated movements lacked any grace,” but it was sooner rather than later that he found himself actually relaxing. She also never forced conversation with him. More often than not, the two of them would sit together in silence after she commented on the quality of his brew until they both finished their respective drinks. Any other time that she did try to speak with him during their little moments of respite, her attempts never really lasted. Not with him as her conversation partner.

There were too many things he did not want to talk about. At the very least, not yet.

Despite that, Bede liked to think that he was learning - learning to open up - even if it was a slow process. Outside of his training, Opal never made him do anything he found himself unwilling to do, alway waiting until  _ he _ felt comfortable enough to approach her. It was because of that, that his haughty front had whittled away. Bede was thankful for her patience with him - both in dealing with his initial arrogance and also in giving him time.

Not that he would ever admit it.

Steam no longer rose from the cup in front of him by the time his consciousness was brought back to the present. He straightened himself as he reached out to grab the drink by its body, downing all of its contents in one go in fear of having to consume it at room temperature before returning to his slouched position. 

Tea didn’t taste as awful as it used to.

However, the world outside of Opal’s abode did not provide him with much comfort. Winter had come to cover most of Galar in snow and Ballonlea was not part of the few exceptions. His aversion to the cold - something that was not a part of his secrets - had him bracing himself whenever he had to go out - not because of it, but rather because of the discomfort that he’d come to expect would well up within him whenever the season struck. As the snow did nothing to elicit joy from him like it did to everyone else, its presence only served to make sure that whatever Bede had to do outdoors, he did as quickly as he could in a vain attempt to settle his nerves as soon as possible.

He thought it was pathetic how even the sight of it affected him so negatively.

Time passed further as he continued to stare into space, thinking about nothing and everything at the same time. In time, he started wondering how long head spent like that, only to be shocked back into reality and out of what felt like a detached realm of his thoughts by sudden aggressive knocks at the window beside him. One of his arms, sore from the lack of movement, stretched out to pull back the curtain, revealing a grumpy-looking Gloria who stood outside with her arms crossed, much to his disbelief.

“Let me in, you arse!” A white puff of warmth left her lips as she voiced her annoyance. It was muffled by the window that separated them, compounding the bewilderment that Bede felt. He stumbled out of his seat and hurried to the door without putting much thought to how his actions made him look.

He was met with the Champion’s unamused expression upon opening the door to her.

“What are you doing here?” Bede asked, watching with furrowed brows as Gloria shrugged off her winter coat.

She did not respond right away. Instead, she turned to glare at him before making herself at home on Opal’s couch.

“You’ve been MIA for over two weeks,” Gloria stated as she snuggled up to a purple throw pillow, “so I asked Ms. Opal if you were home and she said you were, so now I’m here.”

Bede leaned against the shelf across her. “What were you worried about me?” he scoffed mockingly.

“Uh, yeah?” Gloria rolled her eyes at him. “And what do I get? Nearly ten minutes out in the freezing cold.”

He averted his gaze, shifting awkwardly. “I didn’t hear you knock. On the door, I mean. You could have called.”

“You didn’t pick up,” she said matter-of-factly, making him realize that he had left his phone somewhere in his bedroom. He wasn’t particularly sure where, but it was probably there. He hadn’t looked at it in a while.

Bede settled himself on his previous seat with a grumble. “I was lost in thought, okay? Sorry.”

Gloria considered his apology for a moment. “I’ll forgive you if you make me some coffee.”

“Don’t have any. Does Opal really look like she would stock coffee?” He gave her a judgmental look.

She responded with a thoughtful “Huh,” at that. “I figured you would, but I guess not,” Gloria shrugged. “Tea, then.”

Bede crinkled his nose as he pushed himself off the armchair. “As you wish, Champion.”

He continued his musings as he prepared Gloria’s drink. Apparently, she had him pegged as a coffee-drinker. Bede briefly wondered if it was due to his unsociable attitude that she thought so. Nevertheless, she was wrong. Coffee was something he disliked more than tea, only finding it drinkable if its taste had been so heavily altered.

Of course, he would never admit to that either.

With Gloria’s cup of tea prepared, Bede walked back to the living room. His (uninvited) guest had sprawled herself out, feet dangling off the sofa’s arm and her nose practically touching her phone’s screen. He didn't comment on how comfortable she’d made herself. It wasn’t like Opal was there to tell her off and he didn’t feel as though he had the right to do so. Instead, Bede wordlessly placed her drink on the low table before the sofa and sat himself back down by the window.

“So, what have you been up to?” Gloria asked as she sat up to drink. “You must’ve been quite busy, I assume.”

Bede had taken to staring at the ceiling, not entirely sure if he should be looking at Gloria for this conversation. “Not really,” he admitted. “I’ve just not been feeling very socially-inclined lately.”

She hummed in response. “Any reason as to why?” Gloria asked after another sip, turning her full attention to him.

Maintaining the upwards angle of his head, Bede glanced at her for a moment and then at the light source that hung above him (Did it always have that pattern on the shade?).

Eventually, he sighed. “I never do during winter.”

“Is it okay for me to ask why?” Gloria, now more confused than upset, raised her question with concern.

Bede appreciated the consideration. She was oddly perceptive, he thought. Initially, he thought her to be one of those people who simply acted on impulse. After all, how else could she be friends with Hop? Of course, that was neither here nor there, and he soon realized that perhaps her greatest driving force was her affection for her friends.

He figured it would be okay to tell her a little bit about his past.

“When,” he started, surprising himself when his voice came out a little shaky. Bede cleared his throat. “When you’re an orphan living out on the streets, you don’t get too many fond memories of the season.”

Gloria grew silent - for what felt to him as too long - at that. Bede straightened himself to properly look at her. She was gazing at the cup in her hands with an incomprehensible expression.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said. “I didn’t know, I’m sorry.”

“What for?” He was genuinely confused, especially at the sincerity of her apology.

Gloria’s expression changed to accommodate a frown. “Well, I was acting all huffy because you wouldn’t talk to us. I didn’t know you were going through a tough time, I’m sorry.”

Bede leaned back in his seat. “It’s not like it’s your fault. Like you said, you didn’t know.”

She frowned, still. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Stop apologizing, it’s fine. I’m fine.” He didn’t want to talk about it anymore. He couldn’t. And, Gloria wouldn’t let the topic rest if she thought he still had more to say. Her kindness was too overwhelming. Perhaps one day she would hear the full story from him. For now, however-

“Is there anything I can do to make it easier on you?” Gloria twiddle her thumbs together, her hands still wrapped around the cup, her emotions a mix of embarrassment, uncertainty and sincerity.

“I guess,” Bede shoved his hands back in his pockets, “you could just keep me company,” he told her, keeping to his trend of barely thinking.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> follow me on twitter @/sinnamon_nerd


End file.
